Budget Bonanza? Check Yours Now!

For contact center managers these are important items, for which I offer some thoughts. This first blog post will focus on what’s left of this year’s budget.

The major message is: don’t let this year’s allocations get away from you! Dig through your budget to see what is still available, and find ways to use the money wisely.

Call Center Training is a natural choice for remaining budget money, since it is one of those things that can slip during the course of a busy year. Consistently, we see appropriate training opens the eyes of employees and managers on ways to improve the quality and the efficiency of the service they provide. Look around your center and think about how:

Coaching and other supervisor-oriented training could turbocharge your supervisor colleagues - - who (in my opinion) hold the most important position in the call center - - and yet who are often the least trained and supported

Sometimes “leftover” budget will be enough to institute a pilot project for a new technology initiative. There is so much new technology and functionality available from vendors - - and they are all anxious to sell. Use that to your advantage. See what sort of pilot you can fashion on a limited budget, and challenge the vendor to show how the pilot has provided real value, in dollars and cents and/or higher satisfaction

Attending a conference. Select carefully so that you go to an event that will provide you will excellent content, not just show you a big exhibit hall.

Naturally, if you really don’t need the budget, you should not waste your company’s money. However, for every one center I have seen with too much budget, there are 9+ who need every penny they can get.

You may not have $24 million left unused in your 2017 budget. However, whatever you have, think about how to use it - - wisely!

Naturally, we at BenchmarkPortal feel we have proven, results-producing offerings that merit your precious budget dollars. Please let us know if we can be of help.

Bruce Belfiore is Senior Research Executive and CEO of BenchmarkPortal, custodian of the world’s largest database of contact center metrics. He hosts the monthly online radio show "CallTalk" and is chancellor ofThe College of Call Center Excellence, which provides courses for call center professionals. He has consulted for many Fortune 1000 companies, helping them to improve the strategic value, efficiency and effectiveness of their customer contact operations. He is the author of the bookBenchmarking At Its Best for Contact Centersand holds bachelor’s, MBA and JD degrees from Harvard University.